ne
notorious crimes.

Meane time the Pinnace was sent out to looke for fresh water, which hauing
found, the boat returned to bring vs newes, and therewith the fleete sayled
thither, and the 10. of October the shippes ankered before the Riuer, and
went on shore, where we found good prouision of all necessaries, the
inhabitants being very willing thereunto, bringing vs of al things that we
needed, where for a Pewter Spoone wee had an Oxe, or three sheepe.
[Sidenote: How the wilde men assailed them, and forced them to insconce
themselues.] The 11. of October we went on shore with a boat full of sicke
men and the next day we were assayled by a company of wild men, against
whom our weapons little preuayled, for they hurt one of our men and tooke
all that we had from vs, whereby vpon the thirteenth of the same Month, wee
were forced to insconse our selues with pieces of wood and braunches of
trees, making Cabins within our Sconse, for that the 15. of October they
came againe, but then we tooke one, and slew another of them. The 19. of
Nouember our Pilot Claes Ianson was intrapped and murthered by the wild
people, although we vsed all the means we could to helpe him, but they
feared no weapons, about ten or twelue dayes after we tooke one of them
that paide for his death. [Sidenote: The maner and custome of the wild
people.] The first of December our men hauing for the most part recouered
their healthes, were all carryed aborde the ships: in that parte of
Madagascar the people are of good condition, and goe naked, onely with a
Cotton cloth before their priuie members, and some from their breasts
downward: Their ornaments are Copper ringes about their armes, but Tin
rings are more esteemed with them, and therefore tinne with them is good
marchaundise. Their Oxen haue great lumpes of fat vpon their backes: Their
sheepes tayles way at the least twelue pound, being of an elle long, and
two and twentie inches thick. They gaue vs six of those sheepe for a tinne
Spoone: They dwel in cottages and liue very poorely: they feare the noyse
of a peece, for with one Caliuer you shall make an hundred of them runne
away: Wee coulde not perceyue any religion they had, but after wee were
informed that they helde the law of Mahomet, for the two boyes that wee
tooke from of the land, shewed vs their circumcision: There we found no
fruit of Tambaxiumes, but great numbers of Parrats, Medicats, and Turtle
Doues, whereof we killed and eat many. The se